Players and coaches must be registered and affiliated with Mass Youth Soccer through their home town program, or as individuals to be rostered and participate in an ECYFL activity.

Coaches must have current CORI clearance as per the Mass Youth Soccer Adult Registration system.

Players and coaches must be registered through the ECYFL website.

Head coaches must be over 18 years of age

A team consists of a minimum of 5 players and one head coach; a maximum of 15 players may be rostered; there is no limit to the number of assistant coaches but no more than2 coaches, including the head coach, may be on the sideline for any match.

Coaches are responsible for printing the current Mass Youth roster from the ECYFL website and presenting it to the referees prior to each match. No hand-written changes may be made to the roster except for adding player numbers.

Teams should arrive 15 minutes prior to scheduled kick-off.

Coaches and players must have clean, dry foot wear in order to enter the court area. It is strongly recommended that team members change to sneakers/indoor shoes being used for the match after entering the facility.

No balls should be brought into the facility. Only ECYFL provided Futsal balls shall be allowed in the building.

Only Futsal balls shall be allowed on the court.

ECYFL will provide 2 Futsal balls per court for warm-ups and matches.

U12 and younger age groups will use a “junior” Futsal ball, approximately the diameter of a size 3 soccer ball. U14 and older will use a senior Futsal ball, approximately the diameter of a size 4 soccer ball.

The Referee or Second Referee may stop the match to replace and damaged or defective ball. The restart in this case is a drop ball. Replacement/exchange during a normal stoppage does not change the restart.

Law 3- The Number of Players

Players must have numbered jerseys of the same primary color, corresponding to the numbers on the roster.

Shorts and socks should be the same primary color for all team members except the GK.

Shinguards must be worn, and be fully covered by socks.

Footwear must be safe, flat rubber or similar soles of non-marking material. No black soles are permitted on the court. NO CLEATS OR TURF SHOES PERMITTED.

No jewelry is permitted except medical alert or religious bracelets and necklaces, which must be taped securely to the body. EARRINGS MAY NOT BE WORN EVEN IF TAPED/BANDAGED

NO CASTS OR HARD SPLINTS are allowed. Hinged knee braces are permitted only if fully covered by a sleeve or flexible bandage/wrap.

No hats, hard plastic or metal barrettes or hair adornments are permitted on the court.

Prescription eyeglasses may be worn but sports goggles are highly recommended for player safety.

Law 5- The Referees

ECYFL matches will not utilize Third Referees or Timekeepers.

Law 7- The Duration of the Match

Kick-off

The Home team per the schedule will choose the first half bench area, the Visiting team will receive the first half kick-off. Teams will switch ends and possession at half time.

Opposing players must be outside the center arc until ball is in play.

The ball must move forward to be in play.

Kick-offs are indirect; a goal may not be scored directly from a kick-off.

Law 9- Ball In and Out of Play

A goal is scored when the ball completely crosses the goal line, between the goalposts and under the crossbar.

Goals will be disallowed if the result of an infraction by the attacking team, if the ball is thrown by the attacking GK without being touched, as a result of an untouched Indirect Free Kick, from a dropped ball, from a kick-off or from a kick-in.

There is no offside in Futsal.

Indirect Kick Fouls:

An indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team for the following offenses:

The GK touches or controls the ball with his hands after it has been deliberately kicked to him by a teammate.

The GK touches or controls the ball with his hands after he has received it directly from a kick-in taken by a teammate.

The GK touches or controls the ball with his hands or feet, on any part of the playing court, for more than four seconds, except when he touches or controls the ball on the opponent’s half of the playing court.

The GK touches or controls the ball for a second possession in their own half after a goal clearance, throw, or receiving and playing the ball to teammate. A ball touched by an opponent or out of bounds creates a new possession.

Playing in a dangerous manner, including but limited to playing or attempting to play while on the floor, high kicks with or without contacting the ball.

A player deliberately impedes the progress of an opponent when the ball is not being played.

A player prevents the goalkeeper from releasing the ball from his hands.

A player commits any other offense, not previously mentioned above for which play is stopped to caution or dismiss a player.

Direct Kick Fouls:

Kicking or attempting to kick an opponent

Tripping or attempting to trip an opponent

Jumping at an opponent

Charges an opponent, including shoulder charges

Strikes or attempts to strike an opponent

Pushing an opponent

Holding an opponent

Spits at an opponent

Slide tackles as noted and excepted below

Handles the ball deliberately (except for the goalkeeper in his own penalty area)

6th Accumulated Foul:

Accumulated fouls are those sanctioned by a direct free kick.

Upon a team’s 6th accumulated foul in each half, the defending team cannot build a wall to block the kick.

The 6th accumulated foul will result in a penalty kick from the second mark which is 7 yards away (top of the 3 point line)

The player taking the kick must be clearly identified and the player taking the kick must make an attempt at the goal.

Slide Tackling:

Slide tackling is a major foul in Futsal

It is not allowed in any situation where there is contact between players or where referees believe that contact could have resulted.

Exceptions:

The GK is allowed to slide with hands first in an attempt to clear or save the ball, if in referees’ judgment, his slide is an attempt only to make contact with the ball and not the opponent

If GK slide is reckless (a foot in air, a hook, rolling tackle) it is a foul and possibly a cardable offense.

Cautionable Offenses:

A player is cautioned and shown a yellow card if the commits any of the following offenses:

is guilty of unsporting conduct

shows dissent by word or action

persistently infringes the Laws of the Game

delays the restart of play

fails to respect the required distance when play is restarted with a corner kick or free kick (including kick-ins and direct/indirect restarts. This is an automatic yellow in Futsal, the required distance does not have to be asked for by the opponent or referee.

enters or re-enters the playing court without the referee’s permission

deliberately leaves the playing court without the referee’s permission

Sending-off Offenses:

A player is sent off and shown the red card if he commits any of the following offenses:

is guilty of serious foul play

is guilty of violent conduct

spits an opponent or any other person

denies the opposing team a goal or an obvious goal-scoring opportunity by deliberately handling the ball

denies an obvious goal-scoring opportunity to an opponent moving towards the player’s goal by an offense punishable by a free kick or a penalty kick

uses offensive, insulting or abusive language

receives a second caution in the same game

Upon receiving the red card the team that the player was on will play shorthanded for 2 minutes. The player is not allowed to re-enter the game. After 2 minutes another player is allowed as a substitute.

The minimum required distance for all free kicks, kick-offs and kick-ins is 3 yards, except for AFPK’s, which require the GK to allow 6 yards.

Direct Free Kicks will be awarded per the Futsal Laws of the Game, and will be indicated by the Referee(s) pointing to the spot on the court with one arm while indicating direction with the other.

Indirect Free Kicks will be awarded per the Futsal Laws of the Game, and will be indicated by the Referee(s) raising their arm straight in the air, and holding the signal until the ball is touched by another player or goes out of play.

Indirect Free Kicks awarded for infractions inside the attacking penalty area shall be taken from the spot on the penalty arc nearest to the spot of the infraction.